How the Bible Came Together
The Bible is not just one book but a collection of writings gathered over many centuries. The process took a long time and involved early Christian leaders, scholars, and Church councils deciding which writings should be recognized as inspired Scripture.
The Old Testament
The Catholic Old Testament contains 46 books written across many generations. These include the seven Deuterocanonical books, such as Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees, which are recognized by the Catholic Church as inspired Scripture.
The Old Testament includes historical accounts, poetry, wisdom literature, and prophetic writings. Long before the time of Jesus, many of these texts were already respected and used by Jewish communities as sacred writings.
While Moses is traditionally connected to the first five books, many prophets, scribes, and religious leaders contributed to the rest of the Old Testament over time. The Catholic Church later confirmed the full collection of 46 books after centuries of use and study.
The New Testament
After the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, His followers began writing accounts of His teachings and ministry. These writings became the four Gospels. Early Christian leaders such as Paul, Peter, James, and John also wrote letters to guide growing Christian communities.
At the time, many writings about Jesus were circulating among Christians, but not all of them were considered authentic or reliable.
Over time, certain books became widely accepted because they were consistently used in worship, teaching, and Christian communities. By the late 300s, the Church had officially recognized the 27 books that now form the New Testament.
Important gatherings such as the Council of Rome (382 AD), the Council of Hippo (393 AD), and the Council of Carthage (397 AD) helped confirm this list. Much later, the Council of Trent reaffirmed the full 73-book canon of the Catholic Bible.
How the Books Were Chosen
The books of the Bible were not selected randomly. Early Church leaders used several important standards when deciding which writings should be included as Scripture:
- Apostolic Origin: The book needed to be connected to an apostle or someone closely associated with the apostles.
- Orthodoxy: Its teachings had to agree with the core beliefs taught by Jesus and the early Church.
- Widespread Use: The writing needed to be commonly used by Christian communities in worship and teaching.
Around A.D. 400, St. Jerome translated the recognized books into Latin. This translation became known as The Vulgate and remained the standard Bible used by the Church for many centuries.
The Bible used today was formed over centuries through the work of early Christian communities and Church leaders who recognized certain writings as inspired Scripture.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books are in the Catholic Bible?
The Catholic Bible contains 73 books in total: 46 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
What are the Deuterocanonical books?
These are seven books found in the Catholic Old Testament, including Tobit, Judith, and Maccabees. Catholics recognize them as inspired Scripture, while most Protestant Bibles do not include them.
Who decided which books belonged in the Bible?
Early Church leaders and councils helped identify which writings were considered authentic and inspired. Important councils included Rome (382 AD), Hippo (393 AD), and Carthage (397 AD).
Was the Bible originally written in English?
No. The original texts of the Bible were written mainly in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. Around A.D. 400, St. Jerome translated the Bible into Latin in a version known as The Vulgate.
What standards were used to choose the New Testament books?
The Church mainly looked at three things:
- Apostolic Origin: Was the writing connected to an apostle?
- Orthodoxy: Did the teaching agree with the beliefs of the early Church?
- Widespread Use: Was the text already widely used by Christian communities?
- Catholic Sistas. (2013, January 30). Defending the Canon of the Bible–All 73 Books [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.catholicsistas.com/defending-the-canon-of-the-bible-all-73-books/
- Catholic Answers. (2017, August 30). Who compiled the Bible and when? [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.catholic.com/qa/who-compiled-the-bible-and-when
- Vargo, A. (2014, August 22). Yes, Catholicism is in the Bible.....[Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.catholic365.com/article/73/yes-catholicism-is-in-the-bible.html
